Propeller pencil



Jan, 6. 1925.

. J. A. DORAN ET AL PROPELLER PENCIL Filed O01?. 19, 1921 A Patented Jan. e, v1925.

' UNITED STATES PATENT oEElcE.

JAMES A. DURAN AND JOSEPH"G. DORApN', 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND. i

PROPELLER PENCIL.

Application led ctober 19, 1921.

To all 'whom 'it may concern Be it known that we, JAMES A. DORAN and JOSEPH Gr. DoRAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island., have invented certain newl and useful Improvements in Propeller Pencils, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription.

The object of this invention is to provide a propeller pencil of few parts, simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and so constructed as to be relatively small in diameter and neat in appearance.

Moreover, by our construction, all soldered, brazed or other insecure joints may be eliminated, and the structure materially strengthened, thus producing a pencil entirely free from the most usual causes of failure in service.

The invention consists in a propeller pencil having an outer casing within which are mounted and completely enclosed all of the workngparts of the pencil; these working parts comprising a guide member carried by a support having apress fit within the casing, a projector member adapted for longitudinal sliding movement within the guide member but held thereby against rotation, and a propeller member comprising a rotatable cylindrical tube screwthreaded throughout a portion of its length and furnishing, in its unthreaded portion, a magazine for extra pencil leads, the projector member being provided with a screwthreaded portion or head adapted to cooperate with the screwthreaded portion of the propeller member, whereby upon rotation of the prepeller member the projector member will be given a longitudinal sliding movement to project the lead held in the guide member to operative position beyond the point of the pencil, all as will be hereinafter explained and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures cf which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section Serial No. 508,794.

showin the referred form of the inventlon. 4ig. 2 1s an elevation of the casing, a portion thereof at the top being broken away to show the interior. Fig. 3 is a top view of the casing of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the projector member assembled. Fig. 5 1s a top view thereof. Fig. 6 is a section taken in the plane of line 6 6, Fig. .4. Fig. 7 is an elevation, and Fig. 8 is a top view of the gulde member and its support assembled. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the propeller member. Figs. 10 and 11 show, respectively, an elevation and a top view of an octagonal casing which may be used Ainstead of the cylindrical casinfr of Figs. 1 and 2, if desired. Figs. 12 and 13 are, respectively, an elevation and a top view of the uide member and its support as used with t e casing of Fig. 10. Figs. 14 and 15 are, respectively, an elevation and a top view of a modified form of guide member and support in which a square tube is used. Fig. 16 is a section taken in the plane of line 16-16 of Fig. 14. Fig. 17 is a sectional view of a cap made of sheet metal. Fig.v 18 is a sectional elevation showing a modified form of cap in which an eraser is provided, and a protecting cover therefor. Fig. 19 is a sectional view of a cap provided with an eraser but without a protecting cover. Fig. 20 illustrates a pocket clip and the means of attaching it to the pencil casing. Fig. 21 is a section taken in the plane of line 21--21 of Fig. 20. Figs. 22 and 23 illustrate a modified form of cap and magazine end in which screwthreading is dispensed with. Figs. 24 and 25 illustrate, respectively, a sheet metal cap and a solid metal cap, each provided with a ring.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, the pencil comprises a casing 1 of cylindrical cross-section, having a reduced or tapered lower or point portion 2. The interior of this casing is fluted or grooved as shown at 3, Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Within this casing adjacent to its lower end is mounted a guide member comprising a tube 4 reduced or tapered at its lower end 5 and provided with slits 6 to form spring fingers providing a spring or friction grip to firmly hold the lead 7 in adjusted position and a ainst slipping outwardly. The upper end of the tube 4 is squared and fitted 1n a squared hole in the center of a support 8,

said upper end extending through the supy port and being clinched as at to securely hold the guide to the support in a unitary structure. This clinching also forms a sort of bell-mouth to the squared opening thus provided in the tube, for a purpose later appearing.

The periphery of the support 8 1s fluted or grooved as shown atv 10 to match the grooving 3 of the casing, and the support 1s of such diameter as to make a press fit wlthin the casing. Therefore, when the support and guide member are assembled 1n the cass ing, the ress `f`it of the support therein will prevent is lacement of the guide longitudinally of t e casing, and the interengaging grooving or iuting 3 and 10 will prevent relative rotation between the parts.

Working within the guide 4 and having an easy sliding lit within the squared portion thereof is a projector member comprising 'a rod 11, square in cross-section, and having its lower end reduced to form an end'12 circular in cross-section and of such diameter as to pass through the opening at the point of the pencil to fully eject the lead therefrom. lt will be noted, also, that the end of the reduced portion is rounded to facilitate its passage through the spring fingers of the guide tube 4 and through the opening of the pencil point. On the upper end of this rod 11 is mounted a screwthreaded member 13 having a central bore 14, Fig. 1, of such diameter as to receive the square portion of the rod 11 extending part Way into it, the remainder of the length of the bore being reduced in diameter as at 15 and the rod 11 having a correspondingly reduced portion to fit therein, the end of the rod being headed over into a countersunk recess as shown at 16 to unite the rod 11 and screwthreaded member 13. In order that there may be no relative rotation bctween the rod 11 and member 13, the shank 17 of the member is flattened against the rod, as shown at 18. f

It will thus be seen that, although the projector member 11 may slide longitudinally of the guide member 4, it can not rotate therein because of thev t with the squared upper portion of the guide member.

The desired longitudinal movement, whereby the lead is' propelled, is imparted to the projector member 11 by means of a propeller member comprising a cylindrical tube 19 provided throughout a 'portion of its length with an internal screwthread 20 with which the screwthreaded member 13 of the projector cooperates. The unthreaded portion of the tube provides a magazine 2l for the storage of eXtra pencil leads, the

bottom of this magazine being defined by a cupped partition 22 having a press it within the tube 19 and being held against upward movement by means of a bead 23 formed in the tube just above the upper cup-edge of the partition 22. ln addition to its function as a bottom for the magazine 21 this partition also acts as a stop to limit theupward movement of the proector member. The tube 19 is of such iameter as to have an easy rotative fit Within the casing 1 and is provided adjacent to its upper end with a circumferential groove 24, Figs. 1 and 9, into which the end 25 of the casing 1 is turned to form a lip engaging the groove to thus secure a rotative inseparable connection between the casing and the propeller member.

Above the groove 24 is a tapered shoulder 26 and above this shoulder the tube is screwthreaded externally as at 27 to receive a cap 28 for closing the end of the magazine 21. This cap 28 is complementally recessed as at 29 to fit over the shoulder 26 and thus limit the threading of the cap upon the tube. When the cap is screwed down upon the shoulder 26 the frictional grip of the tapered surfaces is suiicient to permit reverse rotation of the propeller member 19 for the purpose of replenishing the lead without premature unscrewing of the cap 28. Moreover, this frictional grip prevents accidental unscrewing and loss of the cap.

. The pencil is assembled as follows First the `guide member 4 is pressed into ,position in the lower portion of the casing 1,

as above described, then the screwthreaded member 13 of the projector is threaded'part Way into the tube 19.' With the projector and propeller members thus assembled, they are slipped into the casing 1, the end 12 of the rod 11 being entered in the opening of the tube 4. It will be apparent that the bell-mouth construction of this opening greatly facilitates the entering of the end of the rod therein. With the rod thus entered in the guide the vpropeller member is manipulated so as to cause the square poi'- tion of the rod 11 to slip into the guide tube 4. This allows the propeller member to slip into the casing so that the end 25 of the'casng may be spun or otherwise turned into the groove 24. Thus all the parts of the pencil fare held in operative position with respect to each other.

In ordei to insert a lead iii the pencil, the projector is retracted within the guide moniber until the screwthreaded member 13v abuts against the partition 22, then a lead is inserted in the pencil point and pressed upon rmly and evenly until it is completely inserted in the guide tube 4. The propeller member isthen rotated until suiicient of the lead is projected from beyond the pencil point to provide a Writing point. As this lpoint wears down the lead may be further projected. 0

The spring fingers formed by the slits 6 in the end of the guide tube at all times exert a frictional hold upon the lead and prevent it from slipping out of the pericll.

Referring now to Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive, we show a modification of our invention in which, instead of the cylindrical' casing of circular cross-section, we may use a casing polygonal in cross-section, and a comple mental support 30, Figs. 12and 13, on the guide tube. When such a casln'g and support are used the necessity for fluting or grooving the inner surface of the casing 1s avoided, since relative rotation of the casing and guide is prevented. members of the pencil are the same for the polygonal casing type as for the circular cylindrical casing type, and are assembled in the same manner.

It may be desirable to substitute a tube 31 of square or other non-circular crosssection for the lguide tube 4, and in Figs. 14, 15 and 16 we have illustrated such a substitution. In such case the end of the tube is tapered and reduced to circular exterlor cross-section, as shown at 32, as before, but, because of the square interior cross-section of the tube 31, it is necessary to add a c1rcular friction member to completely embrace the lead, and this is done by soldering, brazing or otherwise securing an eyelet 33 to the end of the tube 31, this eyelet being provided with slits 34 to form the friction lingers.l The upper end of the tube 31 is inserted in the squared opening of the support 8 and split and clinched over thereon, as shown at 35.

When pencils of this character are provided with casings and caps of precious metal, it is desirable to make as great a saving ofy such metal as possible, and to this end instead of making a cap of a solid piece, as shown in F ig. 1, and then boring and tapping it, we prefer to make the cap by drawing it from sheet-metal. Such a cap is shown in Fig. 17.

It is sometimes desirable to provide this type of pencil with an eraser, and our construction lends itself readily to such provision. In Fig. 18 We illustrate one form that the pencil may take when provided with an eraser, in which the cap 36, corresponding to cap 28, is a mere shell and is apertured at its top to allow one end of the eraser 37 to project through it, the eraser being provided at its other end with a shouldered base 38 adapted to rest uponv the end of the propeller tube 19 and be thereby supported when the eraser is used. A dust cap 39 is made tofit snugly with a frictional grip upon the cap 36 to protect the eraser when not in use, and if desired, to increase the grip, the interior of the dust cap may All the other be grooved as indicated at 39 and the extcrior of the cap 36 complementally grooved4I In Fig. 19 we show the provision of an eraser in a cap of the type shown in Fig. 1, the eraser being in all respects similar to that of Fig. 18 and being supported upon the end.of tube 19 when the cap is in position.- i r In Fig. 1 the pencil is shown as provided witha pocket-clip 40 soldered, brazed or welded to the casing 1, but inasmuch as one of the objects of the invention is to eliminate soldered or other insecure joints or unions between parts of the pencil, we have devised a more secure means of attaching the clip, as shown in Figs. 2O and 21. This comprises slitting the casing to provide a strap 41 which is raised slightly out of the plane of the casing, and under this strap two tongues '42, formed on the clip 43, are projected, the strap and tongues being thereafter clinched to form a secure union between the casing and clip.

If desired, the screwthread 27 on the end of tube 19, and the complemental screwthread in the cap 28 may be dispensed with, and these parts provided instead with grooves or flutes 44 (as shown in Figs. 22 and 23) adapted to frictionally hold the cap in place and insure rotation of the propeller member when the cap is rotated.l

As shown in Figs. 24 and 25 the cap 28 may be provided with a ring 45 by means of which the pencil may be attached to a chain or the like.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that we provide a propeller pencil of exceptionally strong and simple construction and of very few parts, there being, in effect. only five parts in all, vizz-the casing, the guide member, the projector member, the

propeller member and the cap, and all are i strong and durable and without soldered or other insecure joints or connections. Moreover, as above pointed out, we are able to produce by our construction, pencils of small diameter and size, such as are commonly known as programme or jewelers pencils, and having lead magazines which, so far as we are aware, has been impossibh` with pencils of this type as heretofore constructed.

Although we have herein shown and dcscribed a number of forms in which the in- 4, vention may be embodied, it is to be understood that we do not consider it as limited to such embodiments, as various other changes may be made in details of contruction and arrangement of parts without eparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claim.

What we claim is In a pencil, a guide member comprising a tube having a reduced portion at its lower end provided with slits forming spring aperture to receive the end of said tube, the

fingers for frictionally engaginff' the pencil n testimony whereof We have hereunto leads, the. upper end of said tulhe being of set our hands this 11th day of October, A. l0

non-circular; cross-section, and a support D. 1921..

provided with a corresponding non-circular JAMES A. DURAN.

JOSEPH G. DURAN.

tube extending through said support and Witnesses: Y

having its end clinched thereupon to form GEORGE L. TAYNoR, a unitary structure. ETHEL J. GARRITY. 

